Folding boat



y 1943- A. HEIDENREICH 2,320,180

FOLDING BOAT Filed May 26, 1959 Exeecs-Sheet 1 77M (f MW ATTORNEYS May 25, 1943.

A. HEIDENREICH FOLDING BOAT Filed May is. 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS May 25, 1943.

A. HEIDENREQCH FOLDING sou Filed May 2a, 1939 ,1;

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 M y 1943- A. HEIDENREICH ,1

FOLDING BOAT Filed May 26, 1939 4 Shets-Sheet 4 by v Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BOAT Alfredo Heidenreich, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application May 26, 1939, Serial No. 275,793

12 Claims.

The present invention refers to a folding boat which can be used as a means of navigation, or to temporarily support upon the water persons or things for various purposes, either for salvage, fishing, nautical sports, transportation of people or things over any stretch of water, for landing them when for any reason this cannot be done from the ship, and, more particularly, as a means of help in case of shipwreck, or maritime accidents occurring on large vessels.

The object of the invention is, therefore, a folding boat, easy to transport and. to pack up in any place, it particularly lending itself to be carried aboard ships in the same manner that lifeboats are carried, for cases of emergency. It also is adaptable for being installed at ports and at seaside resorts as a means of assistance to be launched when circumstances require it.

Due to its folding it can easily be transported in vehicles which can take it overland to the coast, as also onto the ships upon which it is installed. Due to the same condition it can be stored and packed anywhere, without needing a large space, provided it is reduced to its smallest possible minimum,

The boat has not been made with only a folding character, but it is also uncapsizable and stable, in a manner that guarantees that it will float permanently on the water.

The invention consists, principally at least, of

a collapsible deck, which folds throughout, following a horizontal plane, provided below with floats placed in such a manner that they form no obstacle when the platform is folded.

Other secondary means considered as advantageous accessories of the invention, and are treated of during the course of this description. In order that the invention may be understood and easily be put into practice, it has been presented by way of example, and in one of its preferable forms of construction, in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the whole apparatus seen in an unfolded position from any side;

corresponding to Fig. 1 counterclockwise of the boat in an unfolded position, with the position of two of the floats when folded indicated by broken lines; 3

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in greater detail of a central portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on. the line A-B of Fig. 1 and rotated through about 45*;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, but rotated about 45 Argentina April 28, 1939' Fig, 5 is a plan view the apparatus being in an almost completely folded position;

Fig. 6 shows the boat completely folded in sectional elevation along the line C-D of the preceding figure; Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation of the boat taken when completely unfolded (but otherwise comparable to the preceding figure) taken along the line E- F of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7a is another sectional plan view taken on line A-B of Fig. 1 showing in broken lines the position of the floats when the boat is folded;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on line G--H in the position shown in Fig. 5, that is, folded;

Fig. 9 is another sectional elevation, but in the unfolded position, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the section being taken on the line I-J;

Fig, 10 is a vertical section through the deck only of the boat taken on the line K-L of Fig. 12; provided with means for hanging the boat on cables and permitting its automatic unfolding;

Fig. 11 is a side view of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the deck, largely cut away to expose themeans for obtaining automatic unfolding.

In the different figures of the drawings the corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals.

The construction illustrated in thedrawings, consists of a deck a. forming the floor of the boat which is composed of a series of upper battens and lower battens 2 spaced so that the battens which occupy the same level are parallel and form with others a net work.

The intersections of the battens are pivotally joined by means of bolts 3.

The upper battens l of the deck a are provided with boards 4 mounted upon hinges 5 covering the free spaces between the battens i when the boat is inan unfolded position (Figs. 4, 7, 9 and 10) and capable of being raised upward on the hinges in a folded position (Figs. 6 and 8). To place the boards 5 in the first of the positions mentioned there are provided on one of the battens cleats 6 rotatably fastene'd to the battens (Figs. 4 and 9) which, being turned across the lowered boards prevent the raising of the same. As many of these cleats 6 may be provided as are necessary. The boards are hinged on corresponding sides of each batten and their free sides are joined together with a light chain 1 at one end of each board (Figs.

' 4 and 6) so that moving the chains in the proper direction causes the simultaneous lifting of all of the boards.

The boards 4 rest upon the lower battens 2 of the deck a in such a way that they not only constitute the floor of the boat but also prevent folding if they are not previously raised. By

filling the free spaces between the battens I the hinged boards prevent the articular folding movement of the battens, the boards acting as spaces through the counter pressure they exercise upon the edges of said battens I. Upon raising the boards this interference disappears, and therefore the battens are free to fold,

With the object of giving greater extension, or for other reasons, the deck a may be provided with shelves Ia and 2a, spaced from and parallel to the respective outermost upper and lower battens I and 2. Shelves Ia and 2a are bolted at the ends of battens 2 and l respectively by more bolts 3 and possess the same articular play at the bolted joints. The disposition of each of the two pairs of shelves Ia and 2a is in the form of a V at opposite corners of the deck a. They are not joined at the other two corners, but each pair is joined at the vertices of the Vs by means of two bolts 3a. Furthermore, they have the same movement as the battens I and 2, due to the symmetrical arrangement of the bolts 3 and 3a which allow the jointed movement. From the foregoing it may be deduced that the shelves Ia'are on the same level as the battens I and the shelves 2a are on the same level as the battens 2.

The deck thus made is provided with floats 8, at least one float being situated beneath each of the shelves Ia and 2a and secured to them by means of bracket-like members 9. In the scribing the arc of a circle of equal angular value. These arms I4 are pivotally joined at their other ends to sleeves I5 which are alike adapted to slide on the rods l0, thus forming a suspension system adequate for strongly joining the deck a with the float 8a so that both elements can come together or separate while constrained to remain parallel without lateral movement of the float 8a with respect to the rest of the boat,

The sleeves I5 may be in effect containers of annular cross-section, caulked, or otherwise designed so that they can contain lubricating grease to facilitate their sliding the length of the center in order to give greater floating power or to increase the displacement the float 8a is situated, whose use below the deck a will be hereafter explained. Such floats 8 and 8a are buoyant and formed of hollow bodies, shut in on all sides to prevent the ingress of water, and having for their greater security a set of compartments or cofferdams, made in a well-known manner. These compartments are desirable in case of breakage or a hole in the float, so that the water can only inundate the part affected, and not the whole float.

The floats 8 as stated are placed under each one of the shelves l a and 2a, following the same disposition as these, as can be specially seen in Figs. 4 and 7a.

The central float 8a is placed below the deck a in a manner that allows its spacing from the deck to be increased or decreased, according to whether the apparatus is folded orunfolded, so that in the first case the other floats can be mounted upon it thus reducing the space requirements of the boat for the purposes specifled. The manner in which this float 8a is disposed is as follows: From the vertices of each pair of shelves Ia and 2a, conveniently from the bolts 3a, depend pivoted rods I 0 which are joined at their lower ends to the float 8a, also by suitable pivotal means II, so that the rods I I] are adapted at both ends to hinged movement (Figs. 4, 6 and 7). On the center of the float 8a a support I2 is fixed upon which is rotatably mounted a pair of mutually engaged cog wheels 13 (Figs. 4, 6 and 7a). One of the two arms I4 is fastened to each of the cog wheels I3 by virtue of which the arms I4 will have a fanlike movement, that is to say, they will revolve simultaneously in opposite senses, each onederod II] with the equiangular fan-like movement.

For rotation in a plane perpendicular to that of the two arms I4, two other arms I6 (Figs. 4, 8 and 9) with the same fan-like movement are similarly fastened to a pair of mutually engaged cog wheels I! rotatably mounted on the bottom of the deck a by means of the support i8. These arms I6 diverge towards the float 8a and have runners I9 pivotally joined to them at their extreme ends. These runners areheld by, but are slidable along, therails 20 which are fixed to the float 8a, maintainingits parallel position and thus avoiding longitudinal movement with respectto the deck. In this Way, the flexible suspensionof the center float is completed. From the foregoing it may be deduced that, when the boat is unfolded (Figs. 7 and- 9)-, the arms I4 and I6 form greater angles (withvertices near the supports I2 and I8) than when they are in a folded position (Figs. 6 and 8) Upon the float 8a there may be placed bumpers 2| (Figs. 6, 7a, 8 and 9) so that the floats 8 rest upon these same when the boat is in a folded position, thus giving it a better support, with the outer floats .8 supported by the center float through the medium of the bumpers.

At the sides, on the outside, the floats 8 are provided with handles 22 (Figs. 1, 4 and 7a) so that persons in thewater can take hold of them and get aboard. The handles may also be pulled to open the apparatus, especially when this is upon firm ground, either onboard -or ashore.

Further, regarding Figs. 10, 11 and 12, it provides a means for the automatic unfolding of the boat by means of the cables and apparatus which keep it suspended. i

For carrying persons, the boat is provided with a network of hand-rails b (Figs. 1,2, 3, 5,6, 7 and 8) placed above the deck a and made in the same form, with the difference that they have no floor boards 4. Actually the handrails bare constituted by battens- Ib and 2b, the first as also the second parallel with each other and these placed above each other the intersection joined by means of bolts 3b in such ,a way that they can move like scissors always forming movable parallelograms. When the boat is unfolded (Figs. 2 and 3) in the quadrilateral spaces formed by the battens referred to, the persons who navigate the boat stand upon the deck a and support themselves to the height of the waist by the handrails b about to be described. For greater comfort, the edges and sides of these battens lb and 2b, the first asalso the second may be padded with cloth covers 23 (Fig. 3) which serve to protect the person against sudden movements which the boat may make while navigating through heavy seas, etc. without it being necessary to place handrails or handholds on the upper battens lb for the better safety of the navigators,

At the ends of the battens lb and 2b are found joined by means of the corresponding bolts 3b, the shelves lo and 2c. The two which occupy one diagonal side of the boat as also the two which occupy the other side of the boat, are in the form of a V the upper part ofwhich is joined together by means of the bolts 3c.

Upon the same shelves I and 2c are rigidly fixed the lockers 24 in which are placed "every-' thing necessary for navigation and first aid, that is, provisions, medicine chest, tank of drinking water, blankets, instruments and apparatus for light and radio signalling, clothing, lifebelts, and everything indispensable for persons who may remain a long time on the boat. These lockers 24 also serve as a safeguard from the attacks of wind or water and further serve by the facets of their outside surface 24a to reflect the light, to facilitate locating the boat in the darkness by means of marine searchlights.

The handrails b are mounted upon the deck a with the help of the uprights 25 reinforced with the diagonals 26 (Figs. 1, 6, 'l, and 8) which are conveniently spaced for the correct support and structural reinforcement of that which operates over the floating unit.

As the shelves la-2a act accompanied by the shelves |c-2c, the columns interspaced between them and fixed at their bases 26a and at their tops 26b while the columns placed between the battens l--2 and lb-2b are joined at their two ends with the corresponding bolts 33b with the intersection of said battens, to the end of allowing them articular movement.

In Figures 10, 11, and 12 the following means are illustrated for the automatic opening of the boat.

At or near the edges of the shelves ic -2a are secured the hooks 21 from which the cables spring 28 to hold the apparatus suspended by means of tackle (not illustrated in the drawings). In the center is a sliding beam 29 which moves the arm 30 situated below the deck a. Connected by a hinge, whose pintle may be fast ned to the bottom of beam 29, these arms diverge to pivots 3| secured to the same bolts 3a to which are fixed the shelves 111-211 on their respective sides. The upper part of the beam 29 is attached to the cable 32 which moves an apparatus (not illustrated in the drawings), so that by pulling said cable 32 causes the opening of the arms 30, and with this, the complete unfolding of the apparatus, as may be deduced from the foregoing.

The general working of the apparatus after what has already been explained with regard to it, may be summed up as follows:

Unfolding of deck a.-Supposing the apparatus to be suspended, as recently referred to from the cables 28 (Figs. and 12) to unfold it it is enough to pull the central cable 32 which will raise the beam 2%, which causes the arms 3% to open, taking a larger field. Consequently they exercise a strong push against the two vertices of the shelves la'-2a, where the bolts 3a are situated. With that the unfolding is done completely from the extent of the deck a. The battens and 2 are so placed crossed perpendicw larly, and the boards 4 fall pulling the chain 1 so that resting upon the lower battens 2 they cover thev quadrilateral spaces between the battens "l "and'2: In this way the-floor is formecl upon which the people or things rest, who must remain floating or navigating upon the water,

For unfolding by hand, that is to say without the intervention of the cable 32 and the arms 30, this is done in a manner which will be hereafter explained.

Unfolding the handrails b.--As the floats 8 are seated below the shelves la and 2a, they will follow the displacing trajectory of the same; If they are pulled against each other from both sides, or from the port and starboard side, 'tak-' ing the floats 8 referred to by the handles 22 their unfolding is thus obtained, and with it, the unfolding of the apparatus. The central float 80, either by the weight of the boat or by its floating power (this according as to whether it is on land or on the water) forces it to put itself on the same level as the other floats 8 once these have been fully displaced, according to the way they are guided by the fittings la and 2a. In the Figures 6 and 8 the position of the same floater is seen as also the whole of the apparatus when it is closed, and in Figures 7 and 9 when it is unfolded. The arms 14 and I6 following the rising or lowering movement of the float 80. open or shut angularly so that they are obliged to make this movement horizontally and simultaneously, in a way that will be ex plained in another place. The disposition that the whole of the floats take is illustrated in' Figures 1 and lain their upper portion.

The folding of the boat.-This is done, whether the boat is on the water or has been put upon the land, in the following manner: In the first case it can be done by previously lifting the boards 4, pulling the cables 28 (Figures 10 and 11), until it is suspended in the air. Then the central cable 32 is loosened which will allow the float 8a to descend by gravitation this descending in a proportional space which admits the arms l4 and it. Thus the folding is easily done, because the tension of the same cables 28 (which converge at a high point) causes the points wherethe boat is tied to draw together, that is, in the vertices of the shelves la--2a, helped (if it is necessary) by manual action so that the floats 8 are superimposed upon the float 8d taking the deck a. as the handrails b the folding position as illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 8.

If this act be done upon dry land, the raising is very simple; firstly the board l with the chain 1 and then lift the boat a little off the ground by its handles 22, tends to raise the floats 8 upon the central float 8a, which when done, the work is completed.

In all these cases the result is the same, taking care that the float 8 rests upon the points 9 which carry the central float 8a.

The apparatus can be provided, if necessary, with little buttresses or runners upon deck for the better comfort of the navigator;' It can also have all that is indispensible or common to any boat such as: oars, portable motor, masts and awning, bitts or portholes, gunwales, lining or stiffening to protect the floats, accommodation ladders, anchors, etc. without introducing any novelties. The same may be said as regards the size and form of its elements, its means of floating upon the water, of the materials, which are used, of the reinforcement of any parts which are considered weak, etc.

The advantages which present themselves are many in comparison with known life boats or other means of help to maintain or transport persons: or things upon the water, to cross a river etc., which advantages can be summed up in the following manner:

1. The flexibility, which permits its assembling in the smallest places possible without taking away from its capacity.

2. Its bouyant property, which guarantees its navigators that they will remain permanently afloat.

3. Its means and resources for rendering first aid to shipwrecked persons, or those hurt in an accident at sea or on the river.

4. Its quality of being uncapsizable, due to the distribution of its various elements, even when the weight of one or more persons is thrown upon one side of the boat, to aid those who are floating in their proximity.

5. The safety of those who navigate the boat, being surrounded by the handrails b even when they arev submitted to the force of heavy seas and sudden movements of the boat.

6. And other advantages may be deduced the characteristics of the boat.

I claim as my invention:

1. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens and of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by pivotal means, and floats operatively connected to the battens by pivotal means.

2. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced parallelupper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, and of boards hinged to the upper battens to fill the spaces between them when the boat is unfolded, and floats operatively connected to the battens by rigid pivotal means.

3. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, and of boards hinged to corresponding sides of a plurality of the upper battens to fill the spaces between said battens when the boat .is unfolded, a taut chain fastened to the corresponding unhinged sides of each of said boards for raising them when folding, and floats operatively connected to the battens by pivotal means.

4. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, and of shelves similarly connected by rigid pivotal means near the inner edges of the shelves to replace and extend the outermost battens, and floats operatively connected to the battens and pivotal with respect thereto.

5. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, and of shelves similarly connected by rigid pivotal means near the inner edges of the shelves to replace and extend the outermost battens, and at least one float secured beneath each of said shelves.

6. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced parallel-upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the lower and upper battens being and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, of shelves similarly connected by rigid pivotal means near the inner edges of the shelves to replace and extend the outermost battens, and of boards hinged to the upper battens to fill the spaces between them when the boat is unfolded, and floats operatively connected to the battens by pivotal means.

7. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, of shelves similarly connected by rigid pivotal means near the inner edges of the shelves to replace and extend the outermost battens, and of boards hinged to the upper battens to fill the spaces between them when the boat is unfolded, and at least One float secured beneath each of said shelves.

8. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens and of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, uprights and diagonals above said lower and upper battens and fastened thereto, a.

network of handrails made up of battens supported by said uprights and diagonals waist-high above the deck parallel to corresponding battens in the deck and similarly interconnected by rigid pivotal means, and floats operatively connected to the battens in the deck by rigid pivotal means.

9. A foldable boat comprising a deck made up of spaced parallel lower battens, of spaced par-. allel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections by rigid pivotal means, and of boards hinged to the upper battens to fill the spaces between them when the boat is unfolded, uprights and diagonals fastened at their lower ends to said upper and lower battens, a network of handrails made up of battens supported by said uprights and diagonals waisthigh above the deck parallel to corresponding battens in the deck and similarly interconnected by rigid pivotal means, and floats operatively connected to the battens in the deck by rigid pivotal means.

10. A foldable boat comprising a deck structure made up of spaced parallel lower battens and of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections thereof by rigid pivotal members regularly spaced to allow the 'deck structure to fold, and four floats substantially wider than said battens, two connected at their inner edges by similarly spaced rigid pivotal means to the opposite end portions of the lower battens, and two similarly connected to the opposite end portions of the upper battens, to allow the floats to fold with the deck structure.

11. A foldable boat comprising a deck structure made up of spaced parallel lower battens and of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections thereof by rigid pivotal means, floats substantially wider than said battens connected at the inner edges of the floats by rigid pivotal means to points on the battens near theedges of the deck structure, and a mechanism for auto matically unfolding th boat, comprising a bear ing fastened in the deck structure near the center thereof, a beam. vertically slidable through the bearing, and two arms hinged at the lower ends of the arms to the bottom of said beam, the upper ends of said arms being connected by pivotal means to points underneath opposite edge portions of said deck structure, so that said arms may be caused to force apart the opposite edge portions of the deck by hanging the boat from the top of said beam.

12. A foldable boat comprising a deck structure made up of spaced parallel lower battens and of spaced parallel upper battens overlying and intersecting the lower battens, the upper and lower battens being interconnected at intersections thereof by rigid pivotal means, floats substantially wider and thicker than said battens connected at the upper and inner portions of the floats by rigid pivotal means to points on the V battens near the edges of the deck structure, two rods connected by pivotal means at their upper ends to points underneath opposite edge portions of said foldable deck structure, a central float disposed beneath the deck structure and connected by other pivotal means to the lower ends of said two rods, and means for increasing automatically the space between the central float and the deck structure to accommodate the other floats upon the central float when the boat is folded, the means last mentioned comprising two sleeves adapted toslide on said rods, two arms pivotally joined to said sleeves at one end of each of the arms, two mutually engaged cogwheels rotatably mounted near the center of the central float, the other ends of each of said arms being fastened to each of the cogwheels respectively; and, in a plane perpendicular to that of said rods and arms, rails afiixed radially upon the central float, two runners slidably held in these rails, two other arms pivotally joined to said runners at one end of each of the arms, and two mutually engaged cogwheels rotatably mounted underneath the deck structure near its center, the other ends of the two arms last mentioned being fastened to each of the cogwheels last mentioned.

ALFREDO HEIDENREICH. 

